There is No Wrong Way to Grieve: Myths About Coping After Loss

Losing someone you love is always painful. Everyone processes grief differently, and there is no right or wrong way to go about it. However, there are some unfortunate myths about grief that can make the whole process harder than it already is. Some of these myths include:

• If you ignore the pain, it will go away. In reality, ignoring the pain of your loss only prolongs the grieving process. You will heal faster if you confront your grief head-on.
• You need to be strong for others. Putting on a strong front may make other people feel they have to do the same. Allowing yourself to cry or feel sad gives others permission to do the same.
• You must not have loved the person very much if you don’t cry. This statement is a direct opposite of the one above, but it is just as untrue. People process emotions differently, and crying may not be one of them.
• You should grieve for one year, and then move on. It is just plain silly to put a timeline on something so personal. You should feel free to take as much or as little time as you need.

When you lose a loved one due to the actions of another party, the grief can be even harder to take. You also have to contend with suddenly paying for a funeral, losing that person’s income and many other practical matters.

At Barasch, McGarry, Saltzman and Penson, we understand what you are going through. Our attorneys have 100 years of collective experience pursuing wrongful death cases. We aggressively represent you as we fight for your right to fair compensation. While we understand that a settlement won’t bring your family member back, we hope that it will at least facilitate the grieving process.